There is a common narrative as pushed by the media that technology serves to alienate and disconnect. Part of this is due to lazy journalism, and part is due to the cold and callous nature that we've always applied to the nebulous form of the machine.

It should be noted, however, that thanks to our modern technology, our greater lives are healthier than ever before, and we want to look at some of the most popular forms this can take.

Overcoming Isolation

The most obvious use of the internet which many think of is social media. This is everywhere, available to nearly everyone, and is highly valued by extroverted people everywhere. What we tend to underestimate are the positive effects which the internet and social media can have on the introverted and the less outwardly visible. A massive component of what keeps the socially anxious away from groups is public visibility, and online systems can effectively overcome this issue.

Now, friends and family members can easily keep informed about their loved ones, in a way much more conducive to positive health outcomes. Similar ideas apply to small online communities. Those of us who enjoy niche interests might never have a way to express these in our physical lives, due to small or non-existent local communities, whereas internet message boards and groups can give us unprecedented new avenues to pursue.

"Social Media Butterflies" (CC BY 2.0) by Visual Content

Improving Health and Skills

While to many of us modern technology is a simple means of convenience, for some people it is worth infinitely more. Many of the tools and games available on the internet aren't so simple as just entertainment, they can be active tools for improving our mental states and overall health.

For most users, this could be experienced through any enjoyable online game. Those after engagement could spend a few hours in a game like to maintain a positive mood during a period that might otherwise be unpleasant or underutilized. Going even further, online gaming can be used to build up social skills. Many of today's most popular video games are social in nature, and playing together in these environments can help forge bonds that might otherwise go underdeveloped.

Just as with social media, people can overlook these components, even when they play such a positive and fundamental part.

Source: Pixabay

A Matter of How

There are almost no forms of technology that are inherently bad. Instead, what makes tech good or bad depends on how we use it. It's easy to fall into a trap of underestimating or misunderstanding what something is capable of, and this is a pitfall that we need to try to avoid.

Approach something from the right attitude, from the right point of view, and you'll see a world far more freeing than inhibiting.  It might be easy to judge someone on their phone in a public spot, but we need to remember we don't know what they're doing, or where they are at that exact moment.

Technology is a tool, and while we might not be able to see it, these tools are constantly working to improve everyone's individual journey.